WEBVTT NORTHSHORE HAVE MADE TWO ARRESTSIN AN ON-GOINGINVESTIGATION THAT SPANS BOTHSIDES OF THE LAKE. THEARRESTS INVOLVE THE THEFT OFALMOST TWO-DOZEN FIREVALVES FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES...REPORTER ANDYCUNNINGHAM HAS MORE ON THEGROWING PROBLEM.BROTHER FROM PONCHATOULA NOWBEHIND BARS... FACINGMULTIPLE COUNTS OF FELONYTHEFT... HAMMOND POLICE SAY 36-YEAR-OLD JOHN FLATTMAN AND31-YEAR-OLD JASON FLATTMANSTOLE MORE THAN A DOZEN FIRESUPPRESSION VALVES... LIKETHESE THAT ARE OFTEN ON THESIDES OF BUILDINGS... THEYTARGETED NUMEROUS BUSINESSES ONTHENORTHSHORE... AND INVESTIGATORSAREN'T RULINGOUT THE POSSIBLITY THEY STRUCKSEVERAL IN JEFFERSON ANDORLEANS PARISHES TOO. NickFelton: I mean they are at thecore of your fireprotection... For a multi-storybuilding ... NEW ORLEANSFIREFIGHTERSASSOICIATION PRESIDENT NICKFELTON SAID THE VALVES HELP TOSUPPLEMENT WATER FOR SPRINKLERSYSTEMS INSIDE ASTRUCTURE DURING AN ACTIVE FIRE.Nick Felton: if they are runefficiently and effectively andthe water system is compromisedlike by stealingthese... It will check96-percent of all fires... Soits is absolutely to the core oflife safety and your fire safetyina building... ANDY BRIDGE...Nick Felton: and it can't reallybe altered in any way shape orform because any way shape orform becausetime is essence ad you know...So we gotta get in therequick... And really makes adifference...ALLEGEDLY SELLING THEVALVES MADE OF MOSTLY OF BRASSAND COPPER FOR A FRACTION OFTHEIR WORTH. AND IT WAS DURINGA MONTH-LONGINVESTIGAITON... AUTHORITIES ITWAS DURING THE INVESTIGATION...AUTHORITIES RECOVERED SOME OFTHE STOLEN VALVES AT LOCALSCRAP YARDS... LEADINGINVESTIGATORS TO THE FLATTMANS.Nick Felton/New OrleansFirefighters Association: It'sabsolutely essential we locatethese individuals that are doingthat, make sure they stop it,stop whose everdoing it and prosecuteaggressively to those inindividuals to make sure thatits not worth thecrime..cause you gonna do thetime ...NOW ANDY.. ARE LOCAL POLICE ANDFIRE DEPARMENTS DOING ANYTHINGIN AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS THISPROBLEM?IN FACT THEY ARE, SCOTT, BYALERTING OTHER DEPARTMENTSACROSS THE REGION OF WHAT ISCONSIDERED TO BE A FAIRLY NEWPROBLEM AND ALSO VISITING ASMANY SCRAP AND SALVAGE YARDSACROSS GREATER NEW ORLEANS TOMAKE THEM AWARE OF WHATTHEY SHOULD KEEP AN EYE OUT FORIN ADDITION TO OTHERCOMMONLY PAWNED ITEMS...THANKS ANDYTHEIVES TARGET CERTAIN METALSBECAUSE, LIKE OTHERCOMMODOTIES, THEY CAN BE WORTH ALOT ON THE OPENMARKET. RECYCLERS ARE PAYINGFROM A DOLLAR-50... UP TOTWO DOLLARS, PER POUND... FORRECYCLABLE BRASS, FOREXAMPLE. WE'VE ALSO REPORTED ONCROOKS WHO TARGET COPPERWIRE AND CONDUITS.SCRAP COPPER CAN GRAB MORE THAN2-50 A POUND THESEDAYS. MANY STATES HAVE ENACTEDSTRICT LAWS AND TOUGHPENALTIES TO WARD OFF THIEVES.IN LOUISIANA, THE STATELEGISLATURE ENACTED NEWLAWS IN 2012...INCLUDINGINCREASED FINES AND PRISONTERMS OF UP TO FIVE YEARS ON AFIRST CONVICTION... AND10 YEARS FOR A SECOND OFFENSE.A 76-YEAR OLD JEFFERSON PARISH